246 Travels through Egypt and Syria. 



asainfi: the Franks on account of the following circumftance, 

 which had taken place there three or four years before. An 

 Englifli veflel, commanded, as is faid, by a Captain Mit- 

 chel, having moored there, a quarrel arofe between the crew 

 and the natives refpefting a fupply of water, which is a com- 

 modity ditficult to be procured. From a violent contention 

 blows enfued, and the captain thought himf'jlf juilified to 

 fire upon the town ; in conlequence of which fevcral pcrlons, 

 feme fay fourteen, were killed, and much damage done. 

 The natives were exceedingly exafperated, and fwore to la- 

 crifice the firft Englifliman that (hould fall into their hands. 

 Mr. Brown found little to reward him for cxpofmg himfelf 

 to the danger of this excurfion, except the fight of fome cu- 

 rious rocks, which he thus defcribes : — The roads we travelled 

 in coine to Coflir, as well as in returning, have fomething 

 in them very remarkable : the rough and lofty rocks of gra- 

 nite and porphvry, with which it is on all fides environed, 

 have a magnificent and terrific appearance ; and the road 

 between them, w hich is almoft level throughout, gives the 

 idea of immenfe labour in cutting it. All thefe circum- 

 ftanccs concur in teftifying the importance Coflir mufl; once 

 have had as a port.® In the route wc took in going, at cer- 

 tain diftances, on the higheft rocks, is obfervable a fuccefllion 

 of fmall ftruftures, formed with uncemented flones, and 

 which, by the marks of fire within them, feem to have ferved 

 as fio-nals. Thefe are numerous, but they are too rude to 

 enable on« to fix any time for their ereftion. They appear 

 to me to be pretty ancient. The red granite is in vaft quan- 

 tities ; and the chain of rocks, confilling of that fubftance, 

 appears to extend itfelf in a north and fouth direftion. Huge 

 rocks of porphvr)', both red and green, are diftinguifliable; 

 . and, as appears, more of it in the road we purfued in going 

 than in that by which v.e returned. I obfervcd ruins of 

 alabarter in both, but particularly in returning. The verde 

 antico, it was long before I could difcover ; at length I found 

 ;i in returning, by the figns Bruce had dcfcribed. In flaort. 



